Jharkhand protests: HC stays cancellation of 11th, 13th JPSC appointments; gives relief to 450 candidates

The Jharkhand High Court on Thursday stayed the operation of government notifications cancelling appointments made through the 11th and 13th Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) examinations, providing relief to around 450 candidates amid protests over the state's decision to scrap 22 recruitment exams.

The court also stayed the notification cancelling the appointments of Food Safety Officers. Justice Deepak Roshan directed the state government to file its response by September 15, when the matter will next be heard.

Also read: JPSC-JSSC exam protests: Students halt stir, give Jharkhand government 2-month ultimatum


The interim order means employees appointed through the 11th and 13th JPSC examinations and affected Food Safety Officers can continue in their respective posts for now.

However, the court made it clear that the relief would not protect anyone found to have indulged in malpractice. If the ongoing investigation establishes wrongdoing in the appointment of any candidate, the person would face appropriate consequences, including loss of service.

The court said the final status of the appointments would be determined after the investigation is completed and the outcome of the petitions challenging the government's decision.

Petitioners' advocate Amritansh Vats said the court had prima facie stayed the notifications cancelling appointments through the 11th and 13th JPSC examinations and those concerning Food Safety Officers. He said the court had observed that the cancellation orders raised concerns relating to the principle of natural justice.

25-day agitation over recruitment exams

The High Court's intervention came amid continuing protests by successful candidates whose appointments were cancelled. Around 2,700 candidates affected by the government's decision have been demanding that action be taken against those responsible for alleged irregularities rather than candidates who cleared the examinations on merit.

The JMM-led Jharkhand government on August 18 cancelled 22 recruitment examinations and ordered probes into 23 others conducted since 2014 by the JPSC, Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) and outsourced agency TDPL.

The decision followed a 25-day student agitation over alleged irregularities in Jharkhand recruitment examinations. Students suspended their agitation on Wednesday after giving the state government two months to resolve their demands.

Successful candidates from the cancelled examinations, however, staged a demonstration outside the state secretariat on Thursday, demanding restoration of their appointments.

Also read: Jharkhand protests: Hemant Soren accepts students’ demands as state Cabinet cancels JSSC-CGL exam

The High Court's interim order does not cover all 22 examinations cancelled by the state, leaving candidates selected through several other tests uncertain about their appointments.

Meanwhile, the CID's Special Investigation Team on Thursday issued notices to and questioned 37 suspects in connection with alleged irregularities in the JSSC Graduate Level Combined Competitive Examination-2023. The CID said investigations into other aspects of the cases were continuing.

Candidates have maintained that they are not opposed to an investigation but should not be penalised for alleged wrongdoing by others.

"We are not opposed to an investigation, but action should be taken against those found guilty. Candidates selected on merit should not be punished," said Aniket Dwivedi, a Food Safety Officer in Simdega.

Dwivedi said he had resigned from his post as an Agriculture Development Officer with the Haryana government to join the service in his home state.

Chandan Kumar Sahu, another Food Safety Officer whose appointment was cancelled, said no complaints regarding irregularities had been received in the examination.

"We were thrown out. This is not justice," he said.

Anjali Nibha Minz said, "We cleared the examination based on our merit. We have no involvement in any irregularities."

54 Food Safety Officers get relief

The High Court's order brought relief to 54 candidates appointed as Food Safety Officers, who welcomed the decision outside the state secretariat and said they would resume duty from Friday.

"We will join duty from tomorrow. Injustice will not be tolerated," said Rohit Kumar, posted as Food Safety Officer in Garhwa.

Anjali Nibha Minz said, "Finally, we got relief. We will be joining our duties from Friday at our respective places of posting."

The candidates said several successful aspirants had already joined departments including Finance, Home, Road Transport, Labour and Information and Public Relations, while some had been deputed as magistrates during the Sharavani Mela in Deoghar.

The JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch questioned the state government's handling of the issue and announced that it would burn effigies of Chief Minister Hemant Soren across all 24 districts on Friday.

BJP leader and former chief minister Champai Soren also criticised the government, saying a CBI probe should have been ordered if it was serious about addressing the recruitment controversy.

The High Court's order has provided immediate relief to around 450 candidates covered by the petitions, even as investigations into alleged recruitment irregularities continue and thousands of other successful aspirants remain uncertain about their appointments.

(With inputs from PTI)